Special Session of the Legislature Starts June 18th

State lawmakers have been called back to Baton Rouge by Governor John Bel Edwards. Another special session starts on Monday, June 18th. It must end June 27th.

The Governor is still looking for a fix to the fiscal cliff. This is the 3rd special session in 2018. Each session costs $60,000 a day, at a minimum. The last special session cost $642,000 over 15 days.

The governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff Richard Carbo says after the legislature failed to replace a large portion of the 1.4 billion dollars in temporary taxes that expire June 30th, they had no choice but to give it one more shot.

Several items are on the chopping block including SNAP benefits. TOPS is facing a 30 percent cut, and higher ed, corrections, district attorneys, pre-k education, and other state services could also face deep cuts beginning July 1st.

House Republican leaders have told the Governor they will not vote for higher taxes without spending reforms.